MARRIAGEABLE GIRLS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1559, 16 May 1887, Page 2

MARRIAGEABLE GIRLS

A writer m the Melbourne "Leader" says :— Oar girls Bhould read Mr Hsyter's last return with greater Interest than the fashion column or the most interesting marriage m high life. There is little beyond figures m the return, but they are figures that will come homo to the heart of every girJ, and change doubts and fears into a blessed certainty. For Mr Hayter has shown that m every one of the Australian colonies the males are immensely m exoeus of the females, the mafes contributing 55 per cent and the females 45 per cent of the whole pouplation. There were on the 31dt December last, a total of 356,658 more males than females m our group, while m Victoria alone the excess of males was 77,864, and m New South Wales 121,256. It would appear from this that, though a large proportion of our males are bound to die old bachelor*, there is very little likelihood of any of our girls dying old maids, unless they voluntarily accept spinsterhood as their doom. But while it w ia consoling to the girls to hear that their natural prey exists m suoh numbers that it will be next to impossible to avoid bagging one, the prospect for the men is not equally bright. What are the 77,864 extra maieß of Victoria to do when all females are married? I think that Mr Hayter is bound to give as some answer to such a very important question. I was encouraging a young lady with the etatiatica I have jaet given, but I found her quite inoreduloup. "It's all nonsense," she said. "Go to a ball, and you will find about five girls to one man ; and it's, the same at the theatre, at a tea meeting, ohuroh, or wherever men and women come together. I don't believe it a bit." I argued at considerable length to prove to her that the Government Statist was infallible aa far aa figures went, but she could not behove what was so opposed to the evidence of her own sensea. The farthest Bhe would go, and that with reluctance, was to deolare : — " Well, if there are 77,864 mere men than women In the country, I'm certain they are all stupid, old married men that can't danoe 1"